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Hi
I don’t know where to begin really - started motorcycling on a tiger cub at 17 and stupidly persisted with Brit iron until I was in my early 20s and dated a woman who I bamboozled into getting a motorcycle. She had lived in Italy for a couple of years prior to me meeting her and was a committed Italophile. Naturally she had to buy Italian so we looked at a few Ducati singles (almost bought a Sebring!). But lo and behold she settled on a brand new 350 strada. I’d never bought a new bike before - I was seriously impressed. Great bike but naturally I trashed it and we bought a second hand frame from Benjy Straw and I rebuilt it (I seem to recall it was test ridden in an all Italian issue of Superbike). From then I followed her example and went Italian - but with a succession of Guzzis!! Another 350 strada briefly came my way but I part exed it for another Guzzi…. Fast forward to A few years ago and I was watching the classic road racing at Chimay (worth a trip if you’ve not been before) and saw a 500 Sei parked up next to a tent. It looked so right and I realised I had to have one. Fast forward a bit more and I bought a Spanish import which has sat in my garage for two years while other things took precedence. Now I’m trying to revive it so will attempt to post a bit on this forum about how I’m getting on. I’m involved with the wiring at the moment in preparation for an SWF ignition upgrade.
Parla presto!
Tim

A lifetime of Brit and Italian bikes? You like suffering don't you?

Vitesse wrote: ↑13 Aug 2021 08:07 A lifetime of Brit and Italian bikes? You like suffering don't you?

There are a few of us who like living on the edge! lol

Hi,I've recently acquired an excalibur 350 which I'd swapped for a suzuki I'd been rebuilding but ran out of steam!Most of my previous bikes have been Japanese with the exception of a gilera cougar and a bsa b31.
I'm pleasantly surprised with the excalibur and love the sound of the aftermarket exhausts.I live in Birkenhead on the Wirral.Rob.

Welcome Rob,

I couldn’t tell you when I last saw an Excalibur turn up to a UK club event. Like most of the Cagiva era morinis (and I have both!) they are an acquired taste but underpinned by that fabulous engine we all love.

I’ve always wanted to take an Excalibur on the club’s trackday at Cadwell, just ‘because’

Anyway, look forward to meeting you and the bike sometime- we are still taking bookings for our rally and AGM weekend at westbury on Severn 10-12 September if you are interested

http://www.morini-riders-club.com/rally2021/index.html


Tom

Welcome Rob. Nice that someone admits to liking the Excalibur! Many see them as ugly (and even I wouldn't call them beautiful), but I've always been drawn to them - though not found a suitable one. From what I have read even their critics admit that they are comfortable and handle well. Have fun.

Thanks Tom and Ming,I'll hopefully make it to a club meeting in the future.

Hello from Australia,

I'm the proud and happy owner of a 2008 Corsaro 1200, bought in April this year.

I'm in Australia, but an ex Brit/Irishman and I grew up watching Joey Dunlop on the local roads, so that dates me.

I bought the Corsaro and rode it home 600km after pick up, then Covid lockdown struck in early August, limiting our rides to within the confines of the Australian Capital Territory, after some weeks.

I love the character of a big V-twin and the Corsaro is the best.

I've previously owned a Honda Firestorm, a Ducati ST3 and a KTM990SMT and I now need to sell the latter.

Welcome. Shame you wont be able to ride it around the Antrim coast, or the Ulster GP circuit. Deer's Leap on a Corsaro must be spectacular!

The weird thing about the 1200s is that nobody wants to buy one. When one is bought the owner waxes lyrical about the bike. They are really under rated, but I cant help thinking the poor sales are due to people's perception of buying a low volume motorcycle with patchy after sales support. I'm on my third...

Thanks MickeyMoto - only nearly a year late in seeing your Oct 2021 reply!

What a Moto GP race at Phillip Island yesterday!!!

Hi im from the swindon area. Just bought a non running morini 500 sport from Ebay as a project. Its my first morini. there is no spark and I am now fitting a Saches ingniton system. Its got good compression. Came with good oil in engine and an almost full petrol tank so I am hoping to get it running and see what else needs doing. Rear master cylinder on the brakes has serious leak.
I have had a lot of bikes over the years and have recently restored a BSA starfire i used to own when I was 19 (in 1974) and bought back 6 years ago from the bloke I sold it too.
The morini will be a running restoration and I hope to ride it come spring 23

Hi
Welcome to the forum and to Morini ownership.

The Sachse system is probably the best digital system for V twins.
One thing is that although the 500 regulators are pretty good and well behaved proving the battery is in good condition you don't know if it works properly and I would want to protect my expensive brand new digital ignition. A transient overvoltage suppressor across the battery or the digital box would be a good idea. I asked the manufacturer and there is no transient suppression in the Sachse system.
Mark

Hey Bigred, welcome along.
Hope the petrol isn't too old?
DD

Welcome. Best advice from me is to drain both oil and petrol, renew the cam belt and investigate the lack of spark before spending on an expensive new system - the OE ignition is fine when working but can be disabled by a faulty earth, a degraded source coil, or other well-documented problems.

Hi thanks for the welcome. The old ignition system was shot. Both coils failed the light bulb bench test and the pickup coil was not suitable for the coils. Fitted Saches ignition system and got engine running. Sounds great. No dodgy noises and ticked over beutifully. I will change oil and cambelt soon. The wiring looks like a battle zone and I will have to spend some seroius time on that. Also electric start does not work, could be anything. The paint is also awful with many shades of red applied on frame and the rattle can painted body parts need redoing . Im going for Ferrari rosso corsa red. Im trying to find out what all the indicator lights are. Only the red generator?/oil? and right side amber light works other two dont and ive no idea what they do yet. cheers